Apparatus for fabricating cylindrical tubes for raising and transplanting seedlings of farm crops

ABSTRACT

An apparatus useful in the production of the paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting the seedlings of farm crops, said paper pot assembly comprising a plurality of cylindrical pots each having a square configuration in section. The apparatus comprises means for applying equidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive to one-half the width of one side of each flattened tube, tape-gathering means for converging a plurality of the flattened tubes thus applied with the adhesive to superpose consecutively the flattened tubes on one another in such a manner that two adjacent flattened tubes are disposed in a transversely staggered relation to one another with adjacent tubes overlapping by one-half their width. A combined regulating and guide means controls the travel of the flattened tubes and guides them into pressure rollers where the flattened tubes are adhered together while correctly keeping the staggered or overlapped relation.

United States Patent Shojiet al.

[ 1 May 9,1972

[54] APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CYLINDRICAL TUBES FOR RAISING ANDTRANSPLANTIN G SEEDLINGS OF FARM CROPS [72] lnventors: Yoshio Shoji;Toshiaki Kobayashi; Tadao Kudo, all of Hokkaido, Japan Nippon TensaiSeito Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1969 [21]Appl.No.: 883,454

[73] Assignee:

156/554, 556, 561, 563; 47/37, 37.2; 270/52, 52.5, 58, 59, 60; 226/180,184;-29/12l R, 121 H, 122

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,478 10/1914 lbarra..226/184X Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant E.\aminer-G.E. Montone ArtorneyRobert E. Burns and Emmanuel .l. Lobato 57 ABSTRACTAn apparatus useful in the production of the paper pot assembly forraising and transplanting the seedlings of farm crops, said paper potassembly comprising a plurality of cylindrical pots each having a squareconfiguration in section. The apparatus comprises means for applyingequidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive toone-half the width of one side of each flattened tube, tape-gatheringmeans for converging a plurality of the flattened tubes thus appliedwith the adhesive to superpose consecutively the flattened tubes on oneanother in such a manner that two adjacent flattened tubes are disposedin a transversely staggered relation to one another with adjacent tubesoverlapping by one-half their width. A combined regulating and guidemeans controls the travel of the flattened tubes and guides them intopressure rollers where the flattened tubes are adhered together whilecorrectly keeping the staggered or overlapped relation.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Patented May 9, 1972 3,661,682

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v I 31 lllln Alllk T:

FIGJ lbl FIG. 2/01 I Patented May 9, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 QOM PatentedMay 9, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CYLINDRICAL TUBESFOR RAISING AND TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS OF FARM CROPS DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for the productionof cylindrical pot assemblies for raising and transplanting theseedlings of farm crops, and more particularly, relates to an assemblyin which each cylindrical pot has a square configuration in crosssection.

As is well-known to those skilled in the art, many kinds of cylindricalpot assemblies have been hereto utilized in raising and transplantingthe seedlings of farm crops.

In the fabrication of the paper pot assemblies, heretofore available inraising and transplanting the seedling of farm crops, various techniqueshave been proposed and one practical technique is disclosed in the U.S.Pat. No. 3,164,507. In accordance with the fabrication technique of thispatent, the paper pot assembly is normally folded or collapsed so as tofacilitate handling and particularly transportation and storage. In use,this paper pot assembly is expanded into a honeycombed construction andthen filled with cultivating soil. Seeds of farm crops such as sugarbeets are sown in the soil in the expanded paper pots, and raised for adesired period of time during which water is sprinkled over the paperpot as sembly as in the customary cultivating procedure.

One of the major difiiculties encountered in such prior paper potassemblies is that it is quite troublesome to develop atransplantingmachine adapted to work with such paper pot assembliessince the paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised have anirregular configuration by virtue of the honeycomb structure of thepaper pot assembly.

T o cope with this problem, heretofore it has been the practice intransplanting the seedlings, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No; 3,374,752, topreliminarily, manually separate the paper pot assembly into theindividual paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised, and thenfeed successively such individual paper pots into the hopper of thetransplanting machine to carry out the transplanting procedure. Thispractice, however, necessitates very troublesome work in the preliminarysepara tion step, resulting in time-consuming, costly labor and reducingthe rate of transplanting.

The present invention has for its object the elimination of thedisadvantages mentioned above. According to the present invention, thereis provided an apparatus useful in the fabrication of a unique paper potassembly in which each paper pot, after being expanded, has a squareconfiguration in. cross section so that a transplanting machine mayeasily separate the paper pot assembly into the individual paper potsand thus transplant the seedlings in the field with or without theindividual paper pots in which said seedlings have been raised.

The paper pot assembly produced according to the present invention has astructure or appearance that resembles a honeycombed structure made bythe fabrication technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,640. However,such prior expansible honeycomb structure is made by the steps ofapplying to one side of a web equidistantly spaced parallel lines of adhesive extending transversely uninterrupted substantially the full widthof said web, and superposing such webs consecutively one upon the otherin a stack and adhering said webs together along the lines of adhesiveof adjacent webs in said stack, so that it is quite impossible toseparate the resulting honeycombed structure, after being expanded, intothe individual paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised. Onthe contrary, the paper pot assembly of the present invention isfabricated by the steps of adhering together; opposite longitudinal sideedges of an elongated web with a water-im soluble adhesive into a tubeor pipe which is, in-tum, collapsed or flattened in the form of a tape,superposing a plurality of said flattened tubes one upon the other insuch amanner that one-half the width along one side edge of each one ofsaid flattened tubes is overlapped on one-half the width along one sideedge of an adjacent one of said flattened tubes, of which onehalf thewidth along one side edge is overlapped on one-half the width along oneside edge of a third flattened tube, then adhering together theoverlapped portions of said adjacent flattened tubes by a water-solubleadhesive to provide a flattened tube subassernbly having a half-featherpattern in transverse section, and finally incorporating saidsubassembly with another similar subassembly by means of a water-solubleadhesive to form a paper pot assembly of full-feather pattern.Accordingly, the paper pot assembly thus manufactured in accordance withthe present invention may be easily separated into the individual paperpots in which the seedlings have been raised.

To this end, the present invention provides an apparatus comprisingmeans for applying equidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide stripof adhesive to a one-half width area of a flattened tube, tapegatheri'rig means for converging a plurality of said flattened tubesthus applied with adhesive to superpose said flattened tubesconsecutively one upon the other in such a manner that twoadja'centflattened tubes are overlapped with one another by one=half their width,and a com biried regulating and guide means for regulating the travel'of the flattened tubes and guiding them while correctly keeping thestaggered or overlapped relation of the flattened tubes. In a morespecific conception of the preseht invention, the means for applyingequidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive to aone-half width area of one side of each flattened tube may consist ofsizing-roller type means, nozzle type means, paddle type means or thelike.

Further, the tape-gathering means is such that the flattened tubes maybe converged without hindrance in such manner that two adjacentflattened tubes are overlapped one upon the other in a laterallystaggered relation to one another by onehalf width thereof. As for suchtape g'athe'ring means, there may be used tape-gathering means of thecone-guide type in which the flattened tubes are respectively trainedover circular cones of different taper; or tape-gathering means of thesquare-crossing type in which the flattened tubes are laterally gatheredby first perpendicularly changing its direction of travel from theinitial direction and then back to the initial direction; ortape-gathering means of the oblique-crossing type in which the flattenedtubes are twisted through while changed obliquely in the direction oftravel,- and then untjwisted to the initial condition.

The combined regularihg and guide means is such that the flattened tubesare controlled so as to be correctly adhered together one upon the otherin predetermined positions. Such means may comprise an iron panel inwhich transverse slits are provided through which the flattened tubesare passed, said transverse slits being vertically arranged in a stairstep manner so that two adjacent slits overlap one another by one-halfthe width thereof, or the guide means may be of the type in which guidemembers are slidably mounted on a plurality of horizontal bars,respectively, or the type in which guide members are mounted on basemembers which are arranged in a stair step manner.

These and other features of the present invention will become apparentto those skilled in the art from the followirig description of preferredembodimentof the invention, shown by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustratingappara'tus accord ing to thepresent invention,- wherein FIG. la is an elevatioiial view of a firstsection thereof and FIG. lb is an elevational view of a second section;I i Y FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,wherein FIG. 2a is a plan view of the first section and FIG. 2b is aplan view of the second section;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a' preferred embodimerit of acombined regulating and guide meaiis;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view showiiig a modified apparatusaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4; r v

FIG. 6 is a view showing a paper pot suba's'sembly fabricated by anapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a-view showing a complete paper pot assembly; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a cone type combined regulating andguide means employed in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referringnow to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a preferred embodiment of apparatusaccording to the present invention, in which a gathering means of thesquare-crossing type is incorporated. The apparatus comprises a machineframe 1 provided with a horizontal driving shaft 3 on which a rotarydrum 4 is mounted by means of a sleeve 2 closely fitted around thedriving shaft 3. Paper tubes 5 pass around the rotary drum 4 in ajuxtaposed relationship, the paper tubes being collapsed or flattenedinto the form of a tape having a desired width. In the embodiment heredisclosed, rows of flattened paper tubes 5 are wound around the commonrotary drum 4 in a juxtaposed relation to each other to fabricate 20rows of paper cylinders which are pasted or linked together.

In the embodiment disclosed, there is provided a common rotary drum 4around which are affixed axially spaced, radially extended annularpartition walls 4'. Alternately, a plurality of axially narrow spoolsmay be mounted on the driving shaft 3 and the flattened tubes may beeach wound around one of the spools.

It will be apparent that the flattened tubes 5, thus accommodated on thedrum 4, may be successively delivered for the purpose that will bedescribed below. Following the drum 4, there is provided a sizing roller6 around which are provided at least two radially extended, axiallyspaced annular flanges 6 to apply at least two lines of size or paste oneach of the flattened tubes 5. Size is supplied to the flanges 6' by asize takeup roller 7 which is partially immersed in the size containedin a size reservoir or bath 8, and is engaged with or abutted againstthe annular flanges 6 on the sizing roller 6. Guide rollers 9a, 9b, 9cand 10 cause the flattened or collapsed tubes 5 to undergo a change intravel direction. A guide roller 11 guides a flattened tube to bearranged in the uppermost layer location, namely, the flattened tube 5-1which is supplied from the coiled flattened tube supported on the drum,4 at its axially outer end.

Guide rollers 12a, 12b and 120 guide a flattened tube 5-2 to be arrangedin the second layer location. It will be understood, from FIGS. 1 and 2,that the guide roller 120 is at a position lower than that of the guideroller 11 and staggered laterally relative to the guide roller 11 byone-half the width of the latter, and that the guide roller 12b isinstalled on the lower base of the machine frame.

Guide rollers 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d guide a flattened tube 56 to bearranged in the third layer location, the first two guide rollers 13aand 13d being provided at the upper portion of the frame while theremaining rollers 13b and 130 are provided at the lower portion of theframe. It will be further understood that the guide roller 13b is justbelow the roller 13a, while the roller 13d is just above the roller 13c,and that the guide roller l3dis arranged at a position slightly lowerthan that of the guide roller 12c and also staggered laterally relativeto the guide roller 12c by one-half the width of the latter.

In addition, further guide rollers 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d to 30a, 30b,30c and 30d for guiding additional tubes are provided in the samearrangement as the guide rollersl3a, 13b, 13c and 13d. It will thusunderstood that these series of guide rollers constitute thetape-gathering means.

"After leaving the guide rollers, the tubes are guided and controlled bycombined regulating and guide means 31a and 31!: as seen in FIG. lb. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, each of the combined regulating and guide meanscomprises substantially L-shaped channel members 31'-l, 3l'-2, 3l-3etc., each having a'predetermined width and also having on its lowersurface a downwardly protruding tape-presser lug 31", said channelmembers being arranged in such a manner that each adjacent two channelmembers are overlap one another by one-half their width.

The tape-presser lug 31" is positioned to press down the flattened tubeat its transverse portion between the spaced parallel lines of adhesiveapplied by means of the sizing flanges 6. It will be noted that thechannel members 3I'-l, 31'-2 etc. each have an inner transverse widththat is substantially equal with the transverse width of the flattenedtube 5.

The tubes then pass between pressure rollers 32a and 32b and onto atake-up drum 33 supported by a shah 34. Power is supplied by an electricmotor 35. I A power-transmitting endless chain 36a driven from theelectric motor 35 drives a pulley 41 which is mounted on a sprocketshaft 38b. An endless belt 39 looped over the driving pulley 41 and idlepulleys 42, 43, 40a, 40b, 44 and 45 is frictionally engaged with thelower peripheral outer surface of an outermost convolution of flattenedpaper tube subassembly 5, which has been wound around the take-up drum33, to take up the flattened tube subassembly 5'.

The belt is tensioned by tension pulleys 40a and 40b respectivelyconnected to lever arms 46a and 46b on which are, respectively, providedweight blocks as shown in FIG. lb.

There is provided a leather strap band brake 47 for controlling rotationof the drum 4, which band brake merely rests upon the flattened tubeswound around the drum 4.

Operation of the apparatus according to the present invention,constructed as mentioned above, will be' hereinafter described indetail.

With the electric motor 35 running, the sprocket wheel 38a is driven bythe endless chain 36 from the motor 35 to rotate the pulley 41 which, inturn, causes positive rotation of the take-up drum 33 to take up thereonthe flattened tube subassemblies 5' of half-feather pattern intransverse section, as shown in FIG. 6.

This causes delivery of the flattened tubes 5 adhered together into theflattened tube subassembly having a halffeather pattern in transversesection. Under such conditions, the first flattened tube 5-1 supportedon the drum 4 at its axially outer end is introduced, through the guiderollers 9c, 10 and 11, into the laterally outermost channel member 3l-1of the combined regulating and guide means.

Next, the second flattened tube 5-2 is trained over the guide rollers 9aand 9b provided at the lower portion of the machine framework, and isthereby extended upwardly, then frictionally engaged with theannularflanges 6' on the sizing roller 6 with the result that at leasttwo spaced parallel lines of adhesive are applied on one-half the widthof its lower surface. F ollowing the foregoing steps, the secondflattened tube 5-2 is further extended upwardly, bent back through theguide roller 9c, then extended to the guide roller 10 in an upside downsituation, bent downwardly at the guide roller 12a and then upwardlyagain at the guide roller 12b, further changed in its travel directioninto a substantially horizontal direction at the guide roller 12c, andfinally guided into the second channel member 3l-2 of the combinedregulating and guide means. In the last-mentioned step, the secondflattened tube 5-2 is located below the first flattened tube 5-1 with avertical spacing that is substantially equal to the difference ofelevation between the guide rollers 11 and 12.

In addition, the third flattened tube 5-3 is guided in the same way asthe second flattened tube 5 -2. Namely, the third flattened tube 5-3 isextended through the guide rollers 9a and 9b, applied with at least twospaced parallel lines of adhesive by means of the spaced annular flanges6 on the sizing roller, then extended through the guide rollers and 10,bent downwardly at the roller 130, further directed to a horizontaldirection and transversely shifted to overlap with the second flattenedtube 5-2 by one-half its width, furtherchanged upwardly in its traveldirection by the roller 13c and bent again to a horizontaldirection bythe guide roller 13d, and extended horizontally with its sized surfacebeing exposed upwardly and finally guided into the third channel member31 '-3 of the combined regulating and guide means. In thislast-mentioned step, such third flattened tube 5-3 travels horizontallyin such manner that it is just below the second flattened tube 5-2 byone-half the width thereof with a vertical spacing that is substantiallyequal to the difference of elevation between the guide rollers 13d and120.

The fourth to 20th flattened tubes are, respectively, guided by means ofthe corresponding set of guide rollers in the fourth set of rollers 14a,14b, 14c and 14d to the 20th set of rollers 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d, andat the same time transversely shifted so that any two adjacent flattenedtubes are overlapped one upon the other by their one-half width, thentransported with their sized surface exposed upwardly, and finallyintroduced into the corresponding channel member 31 The travel of theflattened tubes is regulated by the combined regulating and guide means31a, 31b so that the flattened tubes are correctly kept in a conditionwhere they are superposed consecutively one upon the other in alaterally staggered relationto one another with an overlap of one-halftheir width. It will be understood that the channel members 31-1, 3l'-2etc. prevent the flattened tubes from being displaced transversely whilethe downwardly protruding lug 31" prevents the same from deflectingvertically. The flattened tubes, thus kept correctly in superposedrelationship, are adhered to one another by passing them between thevertically opposite pressure rollers 32a and 32b into a flattened tubesubassembly of half-feather pattern in transverse section without anyerror, which is in turn wound up on the take-up drum 33.

As the result of the procedures described above, the subassembly of halfrow-feather pattern as shown in FIG. 6 is manufactured. It will be seenthat the overlapping flattened tubes 5 are secured together by adhesiveA. The final paper pot assembly may be manufactured by the steps ofarranging two sheets of the flattened tube subassemblies face-to-faceone over the other while adhering together such subassemblies by awater-soluble adhesive into a flattened tube assembly of fullfeatherpattern in transverse section, which is in turn cut into short units ofa predetermined length, and finally superposing a suitable number ofsaid short units one upon the other to define the paper pot assembly asa finished product as shown in FIG. 7. A conveyor is provided at theoutlet side of the cutting means for receiving and transporting theshort piece units of the paper pot assembly. This conveyor isintermittently operated so that it is stopped when the cutting means isactuated to cut the paper pot assembly into a number of short pieceunits which are piled up on the conveyor surface.

Referring next to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a modified embodiment ofthe apparatus in accordance with the present invention, wherein atape-gathering means of cone type is utilized. A suitable number of therolled stacks 101 of web having a desired width are supported side byside on a horizontal bearing shaft. The webs delivered from the rolledstacks 101 are guided, through guide rollers 102 and-103, onto a sizingroller 104 provided with axially spaced, radially extended annularflanges to apply to one side of each continuous web 101 uniformly spacedparallel lines of adhesive extending along transversely opposite sideedges of said continuous web 101. A pressure roller 105 is arranged inan opposed relation to the sizing roller 1041 to urge the continuous web101 against the sizing roller 104. The continuous webs 101, each havingadhesive lines on one side thereof, are respectively fed into funnelformpassages 107 where the webs 101 are transversely curled up into hollowtubes which are, in turn, flattened or collapsed through opposed rollers108 and 108'. The flattened tubes are then passed onto a dryer roller109 which is heated by steam or high-temperature gas, and further guidedthrough rollers 110, 111, 111' and 111" onto a sizing roller 112 whereadhesive lines of a desired number are applied on a predetermined widthof one side of each flattened tube. Following the sizing step theflattened tubes are trained over a cone type tapegathering meansconsisting of circular cones which are different from each other in theangle of taper, said circular cones being arranged end-to-end in seriesas seen in FIG. 8. It will be understood that the angle of taper of eachcircular cone is varied or determined depending upon the transverseshifting distance of the flattened tube which is to be trained over thecone.

The flattened tubes then pass over a second cone type tapegatheringmeans 114 in which the circular cones are each oriented reversely indirection of taper with respect to the circular cones of the firsttape-gathering means 113. Where the flattened tubes are, respectively,trained over the circular cones of the second tape-gathering means 114,it is necessary to twist the flattened tubes through 180 in order toprevent the adhesive on the flattened tubes from engaging with theperipheral surfaces of the circular cones.

Regulating means 115 is further provided in which the flattened tubesfrom the second tape-gathering means 114 are guided and controlled so asto be exactly overlapped with one another over a desired width. In theembodiment disclosed, the regulating means 115 includes a transverselyextending iron panel wherein transverse slits are provided through whichthe flattened tubes are passed, said transverse slits being verticallyarranged in a stair step manner so that each adjacent two slits overlapone another by one-half their width.

Pressure rollers 116 and 116' forcibly adhere together the flattenedtubes delivered from the regulating means 115, to form a flattened tubesubassembly of half-feather pattern in transverse section, which is inturn guided onto dryer rollers 117, 117' and 117" heated by steam orhigh-temperature gas. The flattened tube subassembly, thus manufactured,is passed through a guide roller 118 and opposite drawing rollers 119and 119' into roller-cutter means 120 where the subassembly deliveredfrom the drawing rollers 119 and 119 is cut into short pieces of apredetermined length. There are further provided opposed sizing rollers121 and 121' having a grating on their peripheries. There are alsoprovided nozzles 122 and 122 directed to the sizing rollers forsupplying adhesive to the rollers. Rotation of the sizing rollers 121and 121' causes application of adhesive onto the short pieces of theflattened tube subassembly, delivered out from the roller-cutter means120.

The short pieces of the flattened tube subassembly 123, thus appliedwith adhesive, are stored in a receiving box 124 in such a manner thateach adjoining two pieces in the stack are in an upside-down relation toone another.

Power is supplied by electric motors 125, 126 and 127 respectively. Thefirst motor 125 causes rotation of the sizing roller 104,tube-flattening rollers 108 and 108 and dryer roller 109 through anintennediate wheel 128, while the second motor 126 drives the sizetake-up roller 112, pressure rollers 116 and 116' and dryer rollers 117,117' and 117" through an intermediate wheel 129. Finally, the thirdmotor 127 rotates the drawing rollers 119 and 119, roller-cutter means120 and sizing rollers 121 and 121 through an intermediate wheel 130.

It will be thus understood that the desired stack of the short pieces offlattened tube subassembly, stored in the receiving box 124, issubjected to heat treatment under pressure to manufacture the finalpaper pot assembly as a finished product in which a plurality of squarepaper pots are included when in an expanded condition.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferredembodiments, it will be understood that corresponding features of theseveral embodiments are interchangeable and that various omissions andsubstitution and changes in form and details may be made by thoseskilled in the art.

WHAT WE CLAlM AND DESIRE TO SECURE BY LET- TERS PATENT IS:

1. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raisingand transplanting seedlings comprising:

means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubesside-by-side parallel to one another in the same plane and moving themlengthwise in parallel paths, means for applying adhesive to one sideonly of each of said flattened tubes for approximately one half of itswidth,

means for thereafter directing said flattened tubes laterally inconverging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with eachtube other than the laterally outermost tubes underlying an adjacenttube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacenttube on the opposite side approximately half its width,

7 regulating and guiding means thereafter engaging both sides of saidflattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationshipand preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely orvertically,

means for thereafter pressing said overlapped tubes together to form atwo-layer assembly in which the lower face of one flattened tube isadhered directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on oneside for approximately half the width of the tube and the upper face ofsaid tube is adhered directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattenedtube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tubeand,

means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubestransversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengthsequal to the desired height of said paper pots.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said regulating and guidingmeans comprises a panel having slits through which said flattened tubespass and are guided, said slits being arranged in stairstep manner withadjacent slits overlapping by one-half their width.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said directing meanscomprises sets of rollers engaging said flattened tubes respectively andshifting them laterally.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which each set of rollerscomprises a. roller for twisting the respective flattened tube 90degrees to change its direction of travel to a direction laterally ofsaid row of flattened tubes and a second roller for untwisting saidrespective tube and changing its direction of travel back to alongitudinal direction.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for formingstrips of material into said flattened tubes and feeding said flattenedtubes continuously to said arranging means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said regulating and guidingmeans comprises L-shaped channel members which prevent lateraldeflection of the tubes and associated protruding lugs which preventvertical deflection of the tubes.

7. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raisingand transplanting seedlings comprising:

means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes parallelto one another and moving them lengthwise, means for applying adhesiveto one side of each flattened tube for approximately one half of itswidth, means for directing said flattened tubes in converging paths tobring them into an overlapping relation with each intermediate tubeunderlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width andoverlying an adjacent tube on the opposite sideapproximately half, saiddirecting means comprising a plurality of cones, one for each saidflattened tube, said cones being arranged end-toend in series on a shaftand having cone angles progressively increasing from one side to theother of said row of flattened tubes, said cones engaging said tubesrespectively and shifting them laterally, regulating and guiding meansengaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes incorrect overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from beingdisplaced either transversely or vertically, means for pressing saidoverlapped tubes together to adhere the lower face of one flattened tubedirectly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side forapproximately half the width of the tube and to adhere the upper face ofsaid tube directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube onthe opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and,means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubestransversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengthsequal to the desired height of said paper pots.

1. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting seedlings comprising: means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes side-by-side parallel to one another in the same plane and moving them lengthwise in parallel paths, means for applying adhesive to one side only of each of said flattened tubes for approximately one half of its width, means for thereafter directing said flattened tubes laterally in converging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with each tube other than the laterally outermost tubes underlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacent tube on the opposite side approximately half its width, reguLating and guiding means thereafter engaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely or vertically, means for thereafter pressing said overlapped tubes together to form a two-layer assembly in which the lower face of one flattened tube is adhered directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side for approximately half the width of the tube and the upper face of said tube is adhered directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and, means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubes transversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengths equal to the desired height of said paper pots.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said regulating and guiding means comprises a panel having slits through which said flattened tubes pass and are guided, said slits being arranged in stairstep manner with adjacent slits overlapping by one-half their width.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said directing means comprises sets of rollers engaging said flattened tubes respectively and shifting them laterally.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which each set of rollers comprises a roller for twisting the respective flattened tube 90 degrees to change its direction of travel to a direction laterally of said row of flattened tubes and a second roller for untwisting said respective tube and changing its direction of travel back to a longitudinal direction.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for forming strips of material into said flattened tubes and feeding said flattened tubes continuously to said arranging means.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said regulating and guiding means comprises L-shaped channel members which prevent lateral deflection of the tubes and associated protruding lugs which prevent vertical deflection of the tubes.
 7. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting seedlings comprising: means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes parallel to one another and moving them lengthwise, means for applying adhesive to one side of each flattened tube for approximately one half of its width, means for directing said flattened tubes in converging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with each intermediate tube underlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacent tube on the opposite side approximately half, said directing means comprising a plurality of cones, one for each said flattened tube, said cones being arranged end-to-end in series on a shaft and having cone angles progressively increasing from one side to the other of said row of flattened tubes, said cones engaging said tubes respectively and shifting them laterally, regulating and guiding means engaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely or vertically, means for pressing said overlapped tubes together to adhere the lower face of one flattened tube directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side for approximately half the width of the tube and to adhere the upper face of said tube directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and, means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubes transversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengths equal to the desired height of said paper pots. 